Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2002 Buick Lesabre
NHTSA data on file today
The 2002 Buick Lesabre has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 311 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #02V222000 GM/AIR BAG INFLATOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V067000 GM/STEERING GEAR BOLTS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Visibility 115 complaints
- Structure 51 complaints
- Air Bags 37 complaints
- Electrical System 24 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 19 complaints
- Engine 16 complaints
Of the 311 complaints on file, 15 report a crash and 12 a fire; across all 311 complaints, owners report 18 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2002 Buick LeSabre faces challenges in reliability, mainly due to visibility, airbag, and electrical issues, as reflected in complaint data.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| visibility system | 50,000–80,000 miles | $200–$500 | very common |
| airbag system | 60,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | common |
| electrical system | 70,000–120,000 miles | $150–$400 | common |
| steering gear | 80,000–120,000 miles | $400–$800 | occasional |
| engine cooling system | 90,000–130,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil and filter changes
- tire rotations
- brake inspections
- transmission fluid changes
- cooling system flushes
- spark plug replacement
- belt and hose checks
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- foggy or stuck rear window
- airbag warning light
- flickering headlights
- uneven steering response
- engine overheating
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2002 Buick Lesabre at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.